For users running , the most modern and fully compatible version of Microsoft Office is Office 2016 . While newer versions of Office 365 or Office 2019/2021 require more recent macOS versions, specific builds of Office 2016 still support this older operating system. Recommended Office Version for 10.11.6
: This is the last version fully compatible with El Capitan. Specifically, version is often cited as the final build for this OS. Office 2011 for Mac
and Office 2024, require significantly newer versions of macOS to run. For a machine running El Capitan 10.11.6, the last fully compatible version is generally Office 2016 Legitimate "Free" Options Microsoft 365 for the Web : The most reliable "free" method is to use Microsoft 365 Online . By logging into a free Microsoft account at office.com
While Microsoft no longer offers a free, current version of Office for older operating systems, you can still run specific older builds on if you have an existing license or subscription. Compatible Versions for OS X 10.11.6
If you need a desktop application that works offline, you must use an older version of the software. Microsoft Office 2016 (version 16.16.x) was the last major release to support OS X 10.11.6. Installer Links